Coffee and other unrelated things
by infallibleimperfection
Summary: Gray never did like peppermint tea but he's never been so thankful for its existence until now. [GRUVIA]


Coffee and other unrelated things

Gray didn't usually find interest in people-watching, he believed that for others to mind their own business, he had to mind his. Lucy would tell him that it was important to observe your surroundings and those around you because _'Gray, you can't continue being reserved in your own world forever, talk to people'_ but Gray never paid her words much mind.

Despite Gray's lack of interest in the strangers around him, there was one that managed to peak his interest. For a reason unknown to him, Gray often found his eyes drifting to the secluded corner of the coffee shop where a woman would sit, with a novel in hand and a hot cup of peppermint tea.

She would come in the mornings, just after Gray did, to order a peppermint tea which she would then take to the same table at the far end of the café, a few tables away from Gray. She would unwrap her large, knit scarf and would retrieve a book from her bag and she would sit and read, taking occasional sips from her drink.

For Gray, this was the highlight of his mornings and to him, the serene scene of this stranger would put him at ease.

One morning however, Gray was needed at work early and thus, he was unable to sit at the café.

'Stupid flame-brain,' Gray grumbled under his breath as he opened the door to the café, moving towards the counter. Gray was already on edge from the fact that Natsu had messed up on a merger and so needed Gray in early so he was itching to have his coffee as soon as possible.

However, there was a customer in front of him.

'A peppermint tea right?' the barista looked up at the woman in front of the counter,

'Ah, yes could you make it to go, please,' Gray looked up at the soft voice and recognised the tightly wound scarf which constrained the soft blue waves of the woman standing in front of him,

'Sure, anything else you'd like?'

'No thank you,' the woman paid and walked to the side, allowing Gray to order. Gray watched as she stood beside the pick-up counter, waiting for her drink with her eyes downcast and he wondered why she was ordering a drink to go.

'Sir? What would you like to order?' Gray snapped his head back to the barista and quickly told his order before walking in the direction the woman had.

Gray stood a few steps away from the blue-haired woman and he watched as she typed something on her phone, occasionally glancing up to check if her order was ready. Her warm outfit contrasted Gray's slightly underdressed one for the winter. Her cheeks were flushed from the chilly wind outside and Gray couldn't help but be amused and mesmerised at the same time.

Almost as if she had sensed eyes on her, the woman looked towards Gray, both making eye contact for a split second before Gray turned his eyes away, the tell-tale warmth flooding his cheeks. He chanced a glance towards her to see that her eyes returned to their downcast position but what made his heart palpitate in anticipation was the darker colour that stained her cheeks as she attempted to bury her face into her scarf.

The embarrassing air soon dissipated when she collected her drink and swiftly walked past Gray and towards the exit. Gray tried not to look in her direction and instead collected his drink.

As Gray made for the exit, the scent of his drink wafted towards him and Gray paused at the unfamiliar smell. Rather than the comforting and heavy smell of coffee, the scent was fresh and minty, like peppermint. Gray quickly left the café and looked around for the owner of the drink and spotted her walking not too far from Gray.

He took quick strides before catching up with the girl.

'Excuse me!' Gray called, once and then twice before the woman swivelled around to face him.

Gray paused and stared as he exhaled cold puffs of air. She was looking at him curiously and then her eyes widened by a fraction and colour returned to her cheeks as she recognised him. Gray also felt a bit warm and embarrassed because the girl must be wondering why the guy who was staring at her had called out for her. Gray had forgotten too until he spotted the drink in her hand.

'I think I picked up your drink,' Gray spoke, thrusting the drink towards her.

She blinked and then held her own drink to her face before taking a sniff and making a face,

'Oh, Juvia is so sorry! She didn't even realise,' the woman, or Juvia, passed the coffee to Gray and took her own tea, holding it close to her chest.

'No its fine,' Gray chastised himself for such a dull reply, _'Its fine? Really Gray, that's the best you could come up with even after reading Lucy's books?'_

Juvia looked around nervously and although Gray knew that this is when they should say their farewells, he didn't want to let their first actual meeting die so quickly.

'I'm Gray!' Gray blurted out and Juvia looked up at him with confusion evident on her face.

'Er, your name is Juvia right? You said it a while ago so I thought I should probably introduce myself…maybe,' Gray trailed off anxiously, mentally slapping himself for being so ineloquent.

'Gray…' Gray focused his eyes on Juvia again only for his hands to start sweating and his heart rate to grow irregular as he observed her pink cheeks and her lips curved into a small smile.

'Thank you, Gray.'


End file.
